Very Nearly Deceiving Your Friends
by Aurey09
Summary: LV Set during the last day of ‘Weapons of Class Destruction’ and eventually AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Very Nearly Deceiving Your Friends  
**Author:** Aurey09   
**Chapter:** 1/?  
**Characters/pairing:** L/V and cast.   
**Spoilers:** All of season 1.  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

This was how it was always suppose to be, me and Lilly listening to loud music - with the sole purpose to piss off Celeste Kane.

Lilly was all grins coming back into her bedroom, with stolen ice-cream, comfort food for the recently dumped - dumper in Lilly's case.

She handed me the spoons and clammy carton and turned off her music.

"Celeste has finally gone to her fabulous party." She threw herself onto the bed, looking up at me with mild irritation. "Veronica, I order you out of this self-inflicted funk, do you see me with my sexy mouth pouting? You've got to stop obsessing about Duncan." I found it difficult to accept that my fairytale romance turned out to be something more along the 'Brothers Grimm' line. I had a strong feeling Lilly knew more about it than what she was willing to tell me.

"Do you see Duncan sulking round the house?" She asked. "No, that's because he's gone drinking with Logan and Dick Casablancas, and they'll be looking for all the slutty cheerleaders they can lay, who are not us. We, on the other hand, are here." She took a bite of ice cream. "And we're not stay at home people, we are hot girls, who are single."

"You mean single, until Logan clicks his fingers or you click your's." I'd seen a flaw in her Lillyesque logic. They always got back together and, when that happened how did I fit into the group?, Logan wasn't going to stop being friends with Duncan and Lilly wasn't going to stop being Duncan's sister. It was over.

Lilly sat back against her headboard in apparent reflection, unusual for her, she wasn't one to be caught in a stare, caught having sex in the back of Logan's car, maybe.

"You know what Veronica? You should kiss Logan, he's a great kisser."

"I'm not going to kiss your boyfriend."

"Well, you should have sex with him."

"Lilly, you're crazy." I laughed at her. Lilly was always trying to shock me.

"Seriously Logan said the same thing. He didn't rule it out though." Lilly smirked, looked at me out the corner of her eye. "You'd make a cute couple."

"You're such a head-case."

"Well you and Duncan didn't do it and Logan is very forward and fond of you, plus he had the hots for you way before we were even dating." The same look came back, introspective Lilly was unsettling. "I don't know. I guess me and Logan are imploding but I still want him to be happy, and you too dorkus."

"What about Duncan?" She rolled her eyes, and proceeded to pantomime vomiting into her waste paper basket. "You've out grown him, you're blossoming into a different person and Veronica Mars is way too hot for Duncan." Lilly looked to someone across the room. "Can you talk some sense into our little Veronica?" It's Logan. He is slouched against the wall, looking very intently at the two of us.

"Duncan's with Meg." He says, I remember that. "Now she is much more his speed." He chuckles, sharing a conspiring look with Lilly.

"Right." Lilly nods. She's in her peep squad uniform now, but that isn't what I immediately notice, no it's that her hairline has darkened with blood, pouring across her temple. I remember that too. "Plus on the lam, to Mexico or somewhere equally as sketchy."

She wrenches me up from the bed and throws me at Logan. Still laughing he wraps his arms around my waist. "It's not like I can take a boyfriend to the here after," She tells me, while Logan presses kisses against my throat, I'm half afraid he'll turn and rip my throat out. "Logan's going to be with someone, might as well be you." She frowns at me. "Is the message coming through or do I have to tie you two together with my ratty heavy-ghoul-duty chains or compose a spooky messages of blood on the wall?"

She's pissed at me for something; she presses a finger tip against her head and writes something on her bedroom wall. I can't see it, because it's been washed away by the sight of my own ceiling.

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Bad dreams, that'll teach me to eat dad's left over Mexican food, on top of a late night journalism work-out, while going over in my head the kiss Logan and I shared the other day. I've avoided him so far, and I think he's equally evaded me.

I feel guilty. Makes sense, instead of finding Lilly's killer, I'm seducing her boyfriend. Okay, exaggeration, but close enough that I feel like the worst kind of boyfriend-stealing scum.

I lean up to see what time it is. 4.46 am, the kind of clock reading you see when you know it's in vain that you try to get back to sleep.

I wrap my dressing gown around me and make my way across the hall. Backup is waiting for me, and almost trips me over in his eagerness to see me, that, or in anticipation at the prospect of being fed.

Dad is already up, wearing last night's clothes, I don't need or want to know, the details. Coffee, must have coffee, laced with sugar.

"I'm think about making some eggs. You want some eggs?" He looks up at me.

"You're not personally laying them are you?"

"Doctor warned me against it, my insurance won't cover it." Dad cracks eggs into a frying-pan and swirls them round with a spatula.

"You alright honey?" His smile isn't returned, due to the hour of the morning. "You sleep well?"

"With the dead?"

"I believe the saying goes, like the dead. I hope you've not taken up necrophilia."

"No, though there's probably a rumour at school." I sit down. "I was dreaming about Lilly." I look up at him for a response. Done waiting I go pour some dry dog food into Backup's dish. I slump back against the kitchen counter.

"Is everything okay honey?" He looks like he's going to put a hand to my forehead, but he goes back to his scrambled eggs. I wonder if I can feign illness?

"I'm fine. Just the usual hectic Mars life-style. You know unveiling corruption in Neptune, setting the innocent free, getting into trouble with local figure heads, the usual." Me and dad share a lot, but when it comes to talking about boys we're like any father and daughter, we don't. "You're bound to get a call from Clemmons sometime today."

"As long as I'm pre-warned, though I might not be here." He makes me a coffee and launches it down the counter into my waiting grasp. I'm more ready for the day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Very Nearly Deceiving Your Friends  
**Author:** Aurey09  
**Chapter:** 2/?  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

"In case you were wondering, Mr Clemmons? Not pleased."

Just as predicted. Wallace greets me with news paper in hand. Free-school press pisses Clemmons off, I should make a note of that: truth, justice all that crap wins you many enemies, I already have too many of those.

"I've lost sleep over it." I'm sure Wallace wouldn't want the real reason for my lack of sleep, butchered best friends and slightly reformed psychotic jackasses, who's mouth I recently investigated with my own mouth, turning up in my dreams, it's no wonder I'm not getting any quality sleep.

"Did you have to mention Norris' school records? Someone could have put two and two together."

Really Wallace. Like I'm going to give up my only way into the schools permanent records, on pain of death or at least threats of pain equal to that of death.

"They will have to really speak sharply to me before I reveal my sources." That seems to have got Wallace off red-alert and merrily onto his next class.

I head off to journalism room. Tawdry scandals are perhaps going to be taking a break from print if Clemmons gets his way. And besides I have my own tawdry to deal with in the shape of Logan Echolls. I'm sure in some countries his mouth is illegal, I'll perhaps book a flight to one.

I meet his eyes when I walk into the room. Logan is intense, I've noted it before but damn, I've never been the object of said gaze before in this particular context. I'm not going to look away, this is the chicken of all stare outs. Logan breaks eye contact first, but it's not too long before he's looking up at me again.

"Listen up everybody, I have an announcement." Ms Stafford breaks through my haze, hello reality - did I just get girlish and swoony? never happened. I don't do that, not anymore. I move along the table looking for a seat, while fixing my eyes on Ms Stafford.

"I just heard that Norris Clayton is being released later today." I skip my normal desk, navigating my way to the centre desk without looking at Logan. Letme tell you. Trying _not_ to stare at someone while you're walking is just asking for an accident to happen. Not to mention, if I stare at him much longer, my face may go up in flames. Human combustion isn't the best way to go. I allow myself one more look. Pretending Ms. Stafford has his rapt attention, is he? I better do the same.

"The charges have been dropped thanks to a certain high school newspaper's front page story." She beams, actual glowing of skin. "And I'm sorry to report that today is my last day teaching at Neptune High."

"It's been a real kick working with all of you." Ms. Stafford looks over at me with pride and I can't help returning it. I have to respect her.

"Now, I'd appreciate it if you could work independently. Your sub will arrive shortly."

She collects her papers and leaves the room. I should have learnt by now doing the right thing gets you nowhere in Neptune, but I still have to try.

"Okay buckaroos, we're burning daylight in here. We need stories. Who's got something?" Her sacrifice means something, but only to me.

A few hands go up, but the mining for fresh Neptune journalistic dirt isn't going any where.

"I'm sure someone has an idea for a story." I ask, looking round the classroom. Who said high school students where apathetic? I pick on a few people to see if they have something, prompts and all - nothing.

"Aren't you all sexy and domineering." Logan chirps in. There's a playful note under the seemly sarcastic comment, you just have to look really hard. I can practically hear Lilly laugh at that playful note in my head. You _are_ hotness Veronica Mars! I'd expected him to ignore me after the hesitant looks. I forgot for a minute I'm not in an Austin novel and nothing about Logan hints at any repressed sexuality. I don't think Lilly or Logan even comprehended the word 'repressed', at least not in relation to themselves.

I sit back down, and load up all the photos from my camera onto the computer. The last few days were snap shots of Ben and Norris. The later ones show evidence of Logan's assault on Agent Ben. I was sure Logan only punched him a few times, but he must have put some power behind them. Sure, I've seen Logan in fights. I've seen him take a tire-iron to my headlights, but Ben's face was something new. No wonder Ben hadn't relaxed until there was a door between them, not just a federal badge. And why had Logan swooped in to beat the crap out of Ben? Well, the best I can tell it was for me.

Logan sits next to me. I pretend to be entranced by the lack of appropriate information on my screen. It seems that I've been stealthily avoiding him, not the other way around.

He's watching me. I know the feeling of some one's eyes zooming in on me, I've been on enough stakeouts to know when my presence has been compromised. That's when you make a break for it or intimidate them with Backup and a tazer, but preferable you get the hell out. I might consider dropping all my classes, if it weren't for the shiny diploma waiting for me at the end of high school.

"That would make good desktop wallpaper." Not his best line but I feel my mouth twist into a grin as I look at the colourful explosion across Agent Ben's face on my monitor. "It's a work of art really, rich red and striking purples," he quips.

"Picasso ain't got nothing on you."

Logan grins and leans over to get a better look at my screen - Boy, do I feel uncomfortable.

"If only you'd left me alone with him for five more minutes, he'd be a lot more colourful."

"Did you want jail time? Orange is _so_ not your colour." He grins at me in response. Come on Logan, soft, shy grins are not your style. We don't have time to say anything else, before the new substitute shows up. I'm sure they'll be pulling people of the streets next, who needs qualifications to teach high school classes anyway.

------

I go to my locker to get the books for my next class. We got let out early since the substitute didn't think there was any news for us to report. Maybe she was waiting for the next Neptune High bake sale?

"We need to talk." Logan says, keeping his distance. There's a slight awkwardness in his voice.

"Weren't we just talking a minute ago, remember with sentence clauses, vowels, consonants, anything sounding familiar?" I turn away from him, because it's same look I got before high-tailing it from the Camelot motel. If only I knew what it meant.

"I've got to go to History class, so make it quick." For some reason lying to Logan isn't as easy as Lilly used to make it look, and all my after school espionage is coming up short.

I try to walk away, but Logan's hand has found itself snug in the crook of my arm. I stare, last time he stopped me this exact way we ended up making out. The insane part of me, that is also lustfully giddy, makes me forget I have a lovely boyfriend named Leo and has become fine with the idea of Logan putting his hands on me. I don't have time to think what that means because the hand unwraps itself and its owner slinks back a few steps.

"Sorry."

I lean back on my locker, his body comes to rest near mine. We snicker softly, still not looking at one another. Crazy.

The bell rings for the next class, bodies file out, and we're forced into silence again.

I slip my hand into my bag and produce keys. "Want skip school and go for a drive?.

We can talk without the whole school bearing witness." I'm not sure what the world is coming to anymore, when I'm the one to suggest skipping school. Maybe I should be planning for the apocalypse.

He nods. This is going to go well…

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meimei42, Katie 05, enchantedlight, BuffyBc, Kaleena Mason, Moelli, Lorelia the Coffee Slayer and koolaid smile - thanks for the reviews.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Very Nearly Deceiving Your Friends  
**Author:** Aurey09   
**Chapter:** 3/?   
**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

Why did I suggest something so revolutionary as driving round with Logan Echolls? I could be sitting in a class, learning about the Ottoman Empire, but no here I am.

"So, how's things at home?" I ask, trying to be casual.

"You know the usual back-stabbing, weaseling out of who's turn it is to order the help to wash the dishes. We're also spending some much needed family time at my mother's will reading."

I smile wryly, hoping he could see the genuine Veronica beneath the 'bad ass' exterior.

"And, I was going to complain about my dad's taste in music, and how he hogs all the hot water." I put my hand on his knee, before withdrawing it swiftly, realizing it could be taken out of the consoling context. Logan doesn't have anyone one to be affectionate towards him, he probably doesn't think he needs that, but I'm guessing he does.

I know a lot of things about Logan, without ever having to ask him. I know that he blames himself for his mother's suicide and Lilly's murder. I know the tiny scar on his left palm could only have been done by a cigarette and I now know the majority of his past and present injuries have come from the same place. I know that he's read more books than I have, regardless of his party boy exterior, watched more films, plus memorized lines from them and I don't just mean from Van Wilder. I know that he has an Oxford dictionary of quotes that he uses for his inspirational messages. I also know that I was the one to kiss him first. Last but not least, I know that he never really hated me, even when he thought he did.

But as much as I know, there are things that I don't. Does he know about Lilly and Weevil? Did he take a peak at the file I have on people or was it only Duncan's file he snooped at? (I'm not mad at him for that, I'd have done the same and I know that he knows that.) Will he turn on me again if I accuse Duncan or Duncan's parents of the murder? Could he feel for me what he did Lilly?

His hand moves towards mine, just as my cell phone starts chirping for attention. Wallace name comes up. "It's Wallace." I don't know why I'm telling Logan this, so instead I pick up my phone. "Wallace. Hi what can I do for you?"

"You could start with, where the hell you are?"

"I'm out, on a case." I refuse to feel bad, lying to Wallace… okay it's bad, there's no escaping that. Wallace doesn't deserve me lying to him.

"What case?"

"One of my dads." I shifted the phone between the tense nook of my shoulder and neck.

"So, you're not going to be asking me to sneak some student's permanent records out?" There's distinct relief in Wallace voice. Am I really that bad?

"That was the other day. I'm not planning on calling in any favours."

"You going to be back soon?"

"Couldn't say. But I'm sure you'll be okay, just stick to the shadows and don't talk to strangers."

"Alright, see ya."

"Bye." I hang up. All my BFF privileges should be revoked, my friendship band stripped right off my wrist.

Logan's smirking at me. "What?"

"She lies. This all part of the new and improved Veronica Mars."

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We decided to go to Dog Beach. I'm not sure who suggested it, but neither of us seems to want to get out of the car now that we're here.

I'm nervous, I'm certain Logan is too. I've never been this anxious with a guy, you'd think savvy detective I am, I could figure out one seventeen-year-old boy's, intentions, but no, I might as well turn in my badge if I had one. Damn my hormones, confusing everything I had known before, screwing up all logic.

I turn my keys to kill the engine, all the time worried they'll slide out my hand, from all this perspiring.; If this is romance no wonder it up and died.

"You okay?" I smile and nod. Wonderful Veronica, play the dumb-blond. Giggle and twirl your hair, I'm sure he'll be impressed.

At least my legs are still in working order, good to know now that I'm walking away from my car, up the beach.

Logan follows me down to the sea, we used to come here all the time. Me, Logan, Lilly and Duncan. It should make it awkward, but it's about the only thing that isn't.

I like to walk Backup here at night, so I can stand on the coast line. The sea is murky then; most people see it during the day shiny, blue and empty, they forget that there is more to it than that. Lilly was like that. But I don't say any of this.

Logan isn't chatty, odd, seeing as he was the one that wanted to talk. I'm waiting for the snarky comments.

"We're not getting much in the way of talking done." He turns that look on me again.

"Lilly used to love it here." Lilly liked it here, but it was always on my urging we came here. Talking about Lilly is the obvious thing we have in common. We both feel that we have our part in Lilly's death.

I know he doesn't believe in 'all that God stuff', I'm still on the fence. It still feels like she watches me, not at the precise moment but other times, if her favourite song is playing on the radio or when I talk to Duncan. I don't think 'my Lilly' is the same one Duncan told Miss James about. 'My Lilly' is as witty and sharp as she was in life, but in my version, she is sad. She always lived by the motto, 'Live fast, die young and leave a good looking corpse', but a gaping head wound isn't pretty. My Lilly is upset that she couldn't do three out of three.

"Why have you been avoiding me the last few days?" I look out to sea, hoping the lack of eye contact would make this conversation less intimate.

"What would make you think that?"

"I think the consistent 'disappearing in the opposite direction' clinched it for me. I'm no PI, but I was easily tipped off by that."

"Okay, I have." Sometimes it's better to admit the truth, when any lie sounds far-fetched.

"See how easy that was." Easy is the last word I'd pick.

"She would want you to be happy, but you're not, are you?"

Sometimes I'm happy, when I'm not busy or filled with vengeful thoughts. But I'm better than what I was, I have friends now. Mac and Wallace.

I'm making a sandy crater with my foot. This is stupid - I'm stupid. His finger brush against my arm, but it's not a confident gesture.

I kiss him. Sometimes the best avoidance tactics are the simplest. I figured that if we kissed again, it would be Logan who started it. Maybe he did kiss me first, who can tell?

I'm not going to ask is where he learnt to kiss like that, because I know. Lilly and Logan together almost guaranteed public displays of affection. They were never as gentle as we are now, but like with most things with me and Logan, they heat up.

His hands stray from my back to face, then back again. I lose my balance as my feet sink in the sand. No, I didn't go weak at the knees, mostly - I have stronger calf muscles than a 1980's romantic interest. He's the first to start laughing.

"What the hell is going on with us?"

"I'm not sure. Well I've got some ideas." His hand is still pressed against my cheek and he doesn't ask me if I'm happy, he knows already.

"There's something I've got to do." It's something I'm not looking forward to, but if I'm committing myself to this utter insanity, I've got no choice.

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Thanks for the reviews everyone.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: **Very Nearly Deceiving Your Friends  
**Author: **Aurey09  
**Chapter:** 4/?  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

"So we're here." Logan points out, drumming his finger against the dashboard. I don't dare look his way in case he sees my hesitation.

I look up through my car windshield at the Sheriff's Department. It's an imposing building. It lets the criminals know that Neptune won't stand for their behaviour. And that was once true before a recall election - before Lamb.

The town is running low on good cops as well as decent guys and here I am getting ready to dump Leo, who is the pinnacle of both of those things, for Logan - who if I face the truth, is morally suspect at best.

"If you're not sure about us, you can back-out you know."

'Us' sounds like a foreign word, one I know, but haven't been able to put into an everyday conversation. I know being in a relationship with Logan isn't going to be easy. The girl I used to be wants me to turn back, call all this off and go for the safe boyfriend. That part of me is naïve enough to think I'd be happy that way. But I did the sensible thing before and I still wound up broken.

"It's not that."

"Do you want me to go with you?" I shift around in my seat to look at Logan. My current 'whatever' wants to come along on my breaking up with my soon to be ex-boyfriend? That doesn't sound good to me.

"It'll be best if you wait here." Whatever's happening between us came on sudden and maybe he's worried I'll change my mind. As much as I loved Lilly, she was always changeable. She swapped boys like they were her wardrobe.

"I'll be right back. Back, anyway." Logan mock salutes me, at least something about the boy still pisses me off; I need that normality. I close the door behind me.

- - - - - - - - - -

It's quiet. No criminals, lawyers or cops about, there's only Lamb who I don't think I'll count, seeing as I don't consider him to be as human as the rest of us.

He's sat behind the main desk playing on-line solitaire. For Lamb, life is a continuous coffee break - I think his personal motto is 'If you want a job done properly, get someone else to do it.'

"Well, if isn't Veronica Mars. Shouldn't you be in school?"

"Shouldn't you be out catching the criminals?"

"Duncan Kane's missing. I don't suppose you'd know anything about that?" he asks. I know lots about it. I accused him of his sister's murder and now he's disappeared. Lamb can't tell when I'm lying, but he's just continuously suspicious of me, so occasionally he gets it right.

"Yeah." I slap a hand against my forehead before smiling sweetly. "I killed him. I started off by poisoning him and when that didn't work, I shot him, clubbed him a little, rolled him in a carpet and then dumped him in a canal, just to make sure. Wait, no that was Rasputin. Maybe you're looking for the Romanov?" He narrows his eyes at me. "You can google that later, when you're not so busy."

Leo and Sacks hurl a boy of about fifteen through the door. He struggles and swears at them. Lamb gets up and strides towards Leo and Sacks, now that they've done the job for him.

"Is this where come in and take the credit from the heroes?"

Lamb ignores me and speaks to the boy with recognition. "Have you been dealing crystal meth again?" He's using the same tone of voice that he does when questioning me and he expects to get somewhere. He snatches a brown paper bag from under Sacks arm. "Is that what I'm going to find in your bag?"

"Actually that's my lunch." Sacks replies, taking it back with caution and placing it on the counter.

"We think he's working for the Fitzpatricks," Leo explains. "He swallowed the evidence before we could get to him."

My dad put a few of the Fitzpatricks in prison but there's plenty more of them. Look under any rock, you likely to find one of them committing some heinous crime or dealing out crystal meth.

Lamb stares the boy down, perhaps contemplating if he can reach down into the dealer's stomach and retrieve his evidence.

Lamb shoves the criminal forward in the direction of the cells.

"I guess you've got a weight on your hands. You better put a pot of coffee on." I call after him.

"So the Fitzpatricks up to their old games?" I ask Leo - Yes, I want to know what's going on. Is that so bad? I'm rummaging for information at the Sheriffs department before I'm once again no longer welcome.

I fiddle with my bag strap and Leo just stares at me.

"What?"

"You've got that look."

"What look?"

"The look you get, when your about to say something not so pleasant or going to ask a not so pleasant favour that breaches my personal ethics."

"We can't date anymore." Band-aid-pulling-off quick break-up. Not perhaps the gentlest easing into separation, but the best for all involved, I hope.

"Uhhh, okay that, that's a real curve ball." I grimace, before plastering on a smile. Poor Leo or perhaps lucky Leo.

"Honestly, you're getting away lightly. I'm a mess. You see this right? I'm sorry though, truly."

"I'm not gett-, where's this coming from?" He scratched his head. I see the positive in e-mail. Dumping by e-mail is not a classy way to ditch a boyfriend, but it saves on the awkward pauses that go nowhere.

"I know it's sudden, and I could give you the whole 'it's me, not you' speech because it's true, but I'll spare you." Really I'm saying, spare me from having to hurt him. I don't know if I should I tell him about Logan. That I'm dumping him for the guy who on their first meeting, was drunk and pantless at my high school dance. That just can't lead anywhere good. Besides it's not like I'll be announcing to my dad or even Wallace any time soon, that Logan and I are dating.

"I'm really sorry." I repeat again.

- - - - - - - - - -

I feel like crap and then I see Logan fiddling with my car radio, pretending that he's not been obsessively watching the station all the time I was in it. I open the car and get in.

"Leo take it bad? Was there weeping?" He asks, not looking up.

"You remembered him?"

"The guy you were dancing with, when I was Tom Cruising it up. Ahhh. Booze tinted memories." I click my belt into place. "I spent the last two night's fantasy about being your bit on the side. I also needed someone to loathe. He fit the bill."

"I thought I was the only one you ever truly loathed." He leans forwards, kisses me on the cheek. He keeps smiling in my direction as I start up my car. This could work between us.

- - - - - - - - - -


End file.
